Syntactic Errors on Simple Present Tense: A Case Study of the Business English Students at RMUTR, Wang Klai Kangwon Campus

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyze the error types of the subject and verb agreements in simple present tense. The sample group is 30 freshmen of Business English Department at RMUTR., Wang Klai Kangwon Campus. The instrument is the test on subject and verb agreement in simple present containing 37 item tests with 54 blanks dedicated in three context forms: 20 items of positive form, 10 items of negative form and 7 items of interrogative form. The test is analyzed by the frequency and percentage value for errors based on types of errors in surface structures. The results demonstrate that 1) most errors in subject and verb agreement: plural forms of the collective noun (73.33%), the subject with –ic(s) ending (70%), and uncountable noun (33.33). 2) The type errors in surface structures: missed formation (63.07%), error of addition (35.27%) and improper ordering error (1.66%).